Redemption
by Inhumunculus
Summary: "Alright, Chibi-san. I'll give you a chance. Fine, I'll lead you to Father. But I expect to be human within the first five minutes you have the philosopher's stone." Envy-Edward Friendship. No yaoi on this one but it is very sad. T for violence and blood.
1. The Proposal

"Envy!" Edward's cry to the homunculus came sharp and clear and the green worm stopped. The tips of his stubby hands were at the corners of his toothy mouth. He was planning to end his existence, living with the humiliation of being understood by a human was far beyond anything Envy could bear and he wanted nothing more than to escape, to end the humiliation.

"Don't try to stop me, Chibi-san," Envy's squeaky voice said. Fresh tears pooled at the rims of his wide eyes and the sorrow was evident in his tone. "Don't you get it! I'm jealous of humans and I can't be one!" The six-legged worm reached further into his mouth, reaching closer and closer to the philosopher's stone at his core. He was going to end it; end the mockery, end the humiliation.

"You don't know that!" Edward barked. He swiftly scooped Envy up in his hand and held on tight even as the homunculus began to squirm.

"What are you doing?" Envy roared. The worm moved to bite Ed's hand, but the alchemist only squeezed harder.

"Let him go, Fullmetal," Roy Mustang said nonchalantly. He knelt next to Lieutenant Hawkeye, who had sustained a heavy blow to her shoulder in her fight against Envy just moments ago. The Flame Colonel's voice was hard and his eyes cold as ice. "If he wants to take the coward's way out, then let him."

"Not yet, Colonel," Ed retorted. He turned his golden gaze to Envy and stared hard. It was clear that he meant business. "Envy, you know where that Father guy is, right?"

Envy blinked, unsure of just what Edward was getting at. "And if I did?"

"I think I can cut you a deal on how to become human. How about it: you get us to Father and we use the philosopher's stone to make you human."

A silence ensued after that, the only sound being the whisper of a breeze in the tunnel. Then something else that none of the party had heard in a while. Laughter.

Envy was laughing.

"Chibi-san has finally lost it!" the worm boasted. "Do you honestly think I would do that for you? You humans are unreliable, you won't keep your word even if I did. Not to mention the repercussions if you failed to defeat Father - which no one can. Pride will be there anyhow. He's like Father's guard dog and no one can tame that mutt. No can do, Chibi-san." Envy crossed his stubby arms over each other and looked away in a stuck-up manner. "You're better off letting me die."

"Is that all you can think about?"

Edward's tone caused Envy to look back and was surprised to see such sorrow in the alchemist's eyes.

"Come again?"

"You're alive for a reason, Envy. Whatever that reason is, you're alive because of it. And it's not for the reason you think. I don't think you're here to torment and use humans at you leisure, but you are meant to become one. And to do that you need to help us. I give you my word, Envy, that if you help us defeat Father then I will make you human."

"A very touching speech, Chibi-san," Envy replied. "It got me right here. But I'm still not convinced that you will keep your promise. I want to become human, yes, but only to escape this jealousy of them. Prove to me that you will keep your promise."

"I swear on my mother's grave."

A collective gasp rose up from Mustang and Hawkeye. It was very rare for Edward to discuss his mother so openly, it nearly drove him to tears each time someone mentioned her name. But the fact that he was swearing on her grave was binding enough. Edward would keep his promise now, no matter what.

Envy eyed Edward suspiciously, not completely buying it, but was gradually becoming convinced. Finally, he gave up his verdict. "Alright, Chibi-san. I'll give you a chance. Fine, I'll lead you to Father. But I expect to be human within the first five minutes you have the philosopher's stone."

Edward grinned, happy that he had succeeded in gaining a potential ally instead of an enemy. "Thank you."

Envy wriggled out of Edward's gloved hand and plopped down to the ground, annoyed by the ordeal. "Yeah, don't get too sentimental. I can't stand that. And you!" A chubby green hand pointed at Mustang and the Colonel looked at the worm, wary. "No trying to torch me! I know you want revenge, but take it up with someone else."

Mustang's brow creased in anger but he held it back, biting his tongue to keep from shouting every profanity known to man. "Deal . . ." he bit out as he tightened his hold n Hawkeye. "However, if you somehow lead us astray then I swear I won't hesitate -!"

"Yeah, yeah," Envy waved, momentarily bored. "Revenge, yadda yadda. Blow me to bits yadda yadda. Toss my actions to the wind, yadda yadda. Pick something new instead of the same old routine. I'll tell you something: you humans have no imagination when it comes to killing someone. It's the same old routine all the time. However, now that we have our accord, I want you to help me with something first."

The group narrowed their eyes, bristling with the thought of Envy double-crossing them after they did his little favor.

"Easy," the worm snorted, holding two of his six hands up. "I'm not doing anything. You can't get much help from a worm so I'll need a new body." A twisted grin contorted his distorted "face". "My only question is: who's willing to give up their body for me?"

* * *

**AN: I wrote this a LOOOONG time ago and never bothered to post it. This might be a multi-chapter thing, but I'm not sure. Anyways, this like another twist on the episode in Brotherhood when Envy dies. **


	2. Simple Things

The group walked down the cavernous halls silently, either ignoring one another or feeling no need to clutter the already tension atmosphere with more words. It had been decided beforehand that instead of one of the heroes giving up their body, they would venture to the surface where they would hopefully catch a soldier and use him for the body transfer instead. It was an uneasy decision to arrive at and even as the wounded party walked on, the consequences of what they were about to do lingered in their minds.

Edward's brow was in a tight scowl as he walked forward, Envy tucked safely in his coat pocket, popping up every now and again to point out the way. Could he really willingly sacrifice an innocent man who possibly had a family and friends who would miss him? Edward thought back to the suit of armor he had fought in the Fifth Laboratory and how he promised that he would not sacrifice a living human. That everyone had a right to live despite what they have done and how the general public made them out to be. The Fullmetal alchemist swallowed hard as he walked a little faster, if only to match the pace of his frenzied thoughts.

"Whoa, where are you in a hurry to?" Envy asked as he poked his ugly worm head up from Edward's coat pocket. His large purple eyes were in a glare as his nubby green mitts squeezed tightly to the pocket lining. "I know you want to defeat Father and all, but really we're not in any big rush. It'll still be some time before -"

"Just shut up," Edward hissed, her own golden eyes narrowed as he stormed down the cavernous way.

Envy yelped as Edward sped up, tensing his tiny muscles in order to kept form falling down into the depths of his pocket once more.

* * *

A few hours of walking later brought them to a fork in the path. Envy swiftly pointed out the correct path and the group complied, coming to a rusted ladder at a dead end. Edward looked up the many silver and red-brown rungs to see a black hole punctuated with dots of white.

"This is base of a manhole cover in the heart of Central," Envy explained, pointing up with a stubby finger at the hole. "There will most likely b fighting when we get up there so stay low and watch your back. I won't be there to cover for any of you."

Edward snorted his response and grasped the rung closest to his shoulder, stepping on to the rung beneath that and steadily began to climb up.

"Fullmetal," Mustang said before Edward could climb out of his sight. Edward looked back, the impatient look in his golden eyes saying that he did not want to talk. Nonetheless, Mustang persisted. "How do you know Envy is telling the truth? He almost killed you on numerous occasions! Why trust him now?"

Envy opened his toothy maw to defend himself, but Edward cut him off with a sharp, "If Envy had waned me dead he would have done it already! I know how badly you want to avenge Hughes, but now isn't the right time. He's the only one who can get us to this Father guy; and he's the one you should be going after! Envy might have pulled the trigger but who do you think ordered it, huh?"

A long, tense beat passed before anyone could say anything once more, but even then no one dared to combat Edward's argument. He was right, after all. Mustang lowered his head, giving off a defeated growl in response. Edward did not dwell on his small victory as he continued to climb up, pausing only to press his palms against the manhole cover and lift up slowly, peering around under the crack for any sign of danger.

"It's clear," He said in a tense, hushed voice as he carefully slid the cover off. He pushed himself up and out, landing in a defensive squat on the cracked and cratered alleyway. For a moment, Edward had to stop to look around. When he had first become a State Alchemist, he had visited Central in order to verify his certification. Back then, the city was clean and beautifully, everything seemingly constructed form the purest concrete, white as winter snow. Perfectly crafted banners with the alchemist's seal on them hung from the tops of the Central Command Center, displaying only a portion of the might and power that was conceived and born every day within the Center's walls. However, now, everything was broken and pitted, looking like something one might find at the bottom of a trash heap. The streets and walls of building surrounding them were pocketed and riddled with craters. Blood spatter painted the ground and it's clogging scent was rich within the air. In all his years, Edward had hoped he would never have to see a battlefield, and now he had the pleasure of experiencing it first-hand.

"Get used to it," Envy mumbled as he stole a glance at Edward's forlorn face. "Things will get a lot worse if we don't hurry."

Steeling himself, Edward nodded and swallowed back the terror pooling at the corners of his eyes. "Right. What's your plan now? Wait and hope a soldier will somehow fall into our hands?"

Envy was silent for a few seconds before the distant sound of gunshots rang out. A chilling smile cracked Envy's twisted face. "Actually, you read my thoughts exactly."

Edward caught the hint and looked in the direction of the gunshots, daring to poke his head out half-way to see an onslaught of soldiers rushing towards their way, frenzied looks on their harried and taught faces. The young alchemist retreated back into the safety of the alleyway and glanced back at the rest of his comrades, pulling Envy out of his pocket held held him up in the palm of his hand.

The small green worm quickly laid out his basic plan: catch a passing soldier, hold him down long enough for Envy to attach himself to the man, wait for Envy to transform, and then go on back to Father. The group exchanged frenzied looks with each other, not all too comfortable with this plan. Mustang argued that Hawkeye was too wounded to go on (which he was promptly met with a quick slap to the back of the head and a short lecture on how the blonde woman wasn't as weak as he thought). Scar and May Chang both exchanged uncomfortable looks, but agreed anyways, seeing no other option but to go along with their plan in order to achieve their own goals. Satisfied, Envy turned back to Edward and instructed him on what to do on his end.

Edward listened carefully and nodded once the directions were given. He pressed his back against the cool wall of the alleyway at the edge and peered over the side, counting the seconds as one unlucky soldier approached. A tight knot formed in the pit of his stomach and Edward found himself having doubts. Could he really go along with Envy's plan? He should just kill the homunculus now and go back on his own road, but then again he reminded himself of just how powerful the artificial human was and the help he could provide. This was a grand opportunity and Edward would be a fool not to take it.

The seconds passed one at a time and as the man drew closer, the breath from Edward's lungs escaped him and he began counting down: Five . . . Four . . . Three . . . Two . . . Without warning, he reached out blindly and clasped either side of the man's shoulder's holding him tightly between his fingers. Clamping his eyes shut, Edward heaved and pulled, inertia tossing the man over Edward's shoulder and onto the ground of the alleyway, landing flat on his back with a resounding crack. The rest of the group reacted as one, jumping on the poor man and holding down his arms and legs in an effort to keep him still. The captured man immediately began shouting to his comrades, hoping to be heard over the barrage of gunfire. However, his cries fell on deaf ears as Envy made his leap from Edward's shoulder and landing on the taught round og the soldier's stomach. Like an insect, he crawled rapidly up the man's chest and along his neck, easing behind to the back bit deep into the soft, sweaty skin, coiling his consciousness and essence into the man's bloodstream. The group retreated from the squirming man before them and waited and watched as the grotesque transformation took place.

There really was no words to describe it. The man convulsed and twisted as if he were in the throws of a seizure. The dark pupils of his eyes had shrunk to the size of pinpoints, the whites of his eyes dominating his face. Large, blue veins pulsed and poked out beneath his skin, which had begun to stretch and take on an odd color of green. He rolled over on his knees and vomited, the worm-like Envy clinging desperately to his neck. Then it seemed as if Envy had melted into the Man's flesh, dissolving through the layers of skin and worming in the muscle underneath. The man shrieked like a banshee as he clawed at his neck, hoping to get the body-stealer out. However, his body was no longer his own as bones snapped and twisted beyond their normal capacity. Muscles and veins popped then reformed into something new, something grotesque and indescribable, something that could best be pinpointed as a green dinosaur with a myriad of heads and faces swimming in and out of its green hide. Then the horrible monstrosity faded and in its place was a new, more humanoid form that most knew very well. Laying on the alleyway ground with flickers of red lighting lancing across his flesh was a well-muscled, pale-skinned boy dressed in a skin-tight belly shirt and matching skort. Black-brown leggings with the toes and heel cut out were on his legs in place of shoes and matching hand gloves. Long stringy hair spilled off his crown like that of palm fronds and were only kept in place with a black-brown headband marked with an upside down red triangle.

Edward held his breath, counting the seconds once again. They had fulfilled their part of the bargain, but in that process had the transformation been too much for the little human? He wasn't moving and it was difficult to tell if he was breathing or not with the only sign of movement being the flashes of crimson lightning. Swallowing hard, Edward strode forward and stood beside the homunculus, looking down on him with tense eyes. "Envy?" he called lightly, reaching out to prod Envy's shoulder with the toe of his shoe.

As if on cue, Envy suddenly lurched up to a standing position, as if some force had pushed him up from a lying position to stand him perfectly on his feet. The green-haired boy yawned as if he had awoken from a prolonged nap and stretched his arms over his head, muscle and bone alike cracking from the strain. He brought his arms down and rubbed the back of his head half-heartedly, cracking his eyes open to reveal twin pools of amethyst set in the two pools of white that were his eyes. A chilling smile cracked his lips as he took in terrified looks on all of the humans' faces and an amused snort escaped his nose.

"That's the thing about you humans," Envy said as he strode over to the manhole once more and stooped down over it, "always amazed by the simplest of things."

* * *

**AN: Alright, since so many people wanted this to be a multi-chapter, here is chapter two. Sorry if it seems a little short and not much happens. I plan to make this a short multi-chapter with at max 5 chapters, if that. **


	3. Doesn't Exist

Time seemed to move at light speed from then and Edward soon found himself traveling through a network of catacombs reeking with death and blood. Envy had led the group to a nearby alleyway once he had regained use of his new body and paused when they come about midway in. He laid hands against a screen door big enough for a small child to squeeze through and shoved it in, opening a pathway to perpetual darkness. It had taken some doing for all of the party to maneuver into the catacombs and even when they were in they were forced to move about on their hands and knees, as there was not enough space to stand upright. Envy, who had taken the form of a small wolf, had assured them the catacombs would space out the further they went in.

"We're not too far from Father," he said once the tunnel had swelled in size. He had reformed to his usual "adorable" shape and looked back to the gaggle of humans who had been lagging behind. A small scowl was on his lips and he tapped his half-bare foot against the dusty stone ground. If they were going to make it to Father, he thought, then they would have to move a lot faster. "We better get a move on. No telling what Father's been up to." He had already begun moving before anyone had the chance to provide a smart remark.

Edward growled to himself and jogged up ahead to catch up to the homunculus. After all they had done for him, Envy had still remained the same he had always been: blunt, unappreciative, and snobby. _He could have given us some form of thanks, _Edward thought with a small growl. _He owes us for not killing him and bringing him a new body! _He reached Envy's side and glared up at him with seething hate. His look didn't go unnoticed as Envy sniffed and threw his arms idly behind his green head.

"What's your problem?" he asked boredly, not thoroughly interested in what Edward would say. Truthfully, he asked this question just to hear something other than the monotonous thud of his heart and the shuffle of dust beneath his feet. He could care less for the actual conversation.

"You," Edward growled harshly, clenching his teeth. "You're my problem. How could you be so cold to us?"

Envy paused in his stride to listen to what Edward had to say. It was obvious as to why he behaved the way he did. He was Envy and he was envious of humans. He held nothing toward them but spite, hate, and jealousy. He longed so many times to be them, the possess that one special quality that Father had been interest in. And Envy wanted to know what that quality was. As he could not be human, he settled for the next best thing and decided to despise them and kill them whenever he got the chance. Still, he could not help but wonder what it was that Edward wanted to say.

"We've spared you, sacrificed an innocent human being to give you a body and not once did you thank us or even make up for it!" Edward finished, his tone growing louder and louder with each word. His molten golden eyes bored into Envy's cool amethyst ones and spite was clearly pooled in those golden globes. "You admitted that you're envious of humans, but you don't do anything to make yourself more human! If you want something so bad, Envy, then work for it and make it happen!"

Envy couldn't hold it back any longer. His face contorted, his chiseled abs clenched and he threw back his head and laughed. He laughed so hard that his sides ached and tears of mirth coursed down his angled cheeks. His laugh echoed throughout the cavernous tunnel and sent an angry blush across Edward's face. If there was one thing the Fullmetal Alchemist didn't like (other than milk and being short) it was being made a fool. He tensed his arm and prepared to punch the grin off the homunculus's face, but Envy's voice cut him off.

"That's precious!" he whooped, clutching his aching side as he gasped for breath. "You actually think I would stoop down to so low a level as to offer my _thanks_?" Another bout of giggles tickled his sides and it took a few minutes for him to once again come to a coherent state. "Oh, that was a good laugh. But, no, Chibi-san. I won't drop down to your level and do something so meager as to say a simple 'thank you'. Why should I thank you when all you did was fulfill your end of the deal?" His eyes shone dangerously as he continued to explain, "We both agreed that if I take you to Father, you would give me another body. You have done so and therefore there is no need for me to offer you anything else."

"But we spared -" Edward began.

"You spared me so that you could use me to get to Father," Envy finished, his demeanor cool, calm and collected. "Before, you would have let Mustang kill me had you not been aware of what I could do for you. In that sense, you're no better than me, Chibi-san. You use others to gain what you want without understanding what it would mean to them. You use people just to get by and don't give them what they want in return. You say you support the concept of equivalent exchange but in reality you don't live up to it. And you want to know why that is?" He leaned in close until he and Edward were merely centimeters apart. The homunculus's fetid breath washed over Edward's lips in a hot gaseous wave and Edward blushed and blanched in one swift movement. Envy grinned and watched as goosebumps prickled Edward's pale flesh as he said, "Because equivalent exchange doesn't exist."

* * *

**AN: I finally updated! I have decided this will be 5 chapters long so you still have some way to go. The next one will be exceptionally long, however, so no more mini chapters for a bit. Sorry if this wasn't as good as some of the others, but I hope you enjoyed it! :D**

**Yours Truly,**

**Inhumunculus **


	4. Loyalty

The rest of the distance, no matter how short it was, was left in silence. Edward had retaliated against Envy's claim against no equivalent exchange and each one of his remarks was quickly put to the sword by each one of Envy's responses.

"Equivalent exchange is nothing more than a human fabricated explanation for the Gate," Envy had said. "There is no giving back what is equally owed and even if there is that comes once in a blue moon. Also, if you give something up then you will gain something of equal value. That too is a lie. For instance, let's go back in time to when you passed your State Alchemist exam. You merely walked in and exceed expectations while everyone else who had slaved over volumes of books and practiced for weeks on end were met with defeat. Why didn't they pass the test even though they rightfully deserved it? Death, on the other hand, is the converse of what I just said. You could do all you can to scratch your way to the top but in the end you die in poverty while others are born into riches. There is no equivalent exchange in life because what you do in life does not account for what happens in death." Envy stomped up to Edward and glared down at him, crazed glee in his amethyst eyes. "So accept the truth, Chibi-san, equivalent exchange doesn't exist."

_I don't like to believe he's right, _Edward mused as he kept in step with Envy, trailing a foot behind him, _but in that sense . . . he might be. If Al and my equivalent exchange hard worked then our mother would be here and we wouldn't be on this journey. Al gave up his body - which would have accounted for all the blood, organs, muscles, and bone needed to sustain Mom, not to mention all the elements we had already prepared, and my arm and leg. _He growled, clenching his teeth so tightly his jaw strained. _He's right . . . there is no equivalent exchange! _

Envy abruptly stopped and Edward, keeping his attention on the ground, bumped into him, forcing the homunculus forward a second. Envy whirled on him, annoyance in his eyes. "Watch where you're going, Pipsqueak! Considering how small you are, you think you'd be able to see me!"

A vein popped out in Edward's skull and he immediately leapt forward to tackle Envy, hatred blazing in his golden eyes. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING -?" He was silenced when Envy evaded his tackle and swept his arm around his neck, pulling him close and clamping a hand over his mouth.

"Subtlety isn't your strongpoint, is it?" Envy hissed. He saw the rest of the group rush forward to help their blonde-haired companion, but Envy waved them off once he showed them that Edward was uninjured. "We're almost there to Father and if I'm correct you want to catch him off guard."

Edward looked up with his eyes, doing his best to wriggle out of Envy's cast-iron grip. If they were so close to Father, then why should he help them further? The deal was to simply lead them to Father, not aid them in the fight against him. Edward began to wonder if the homunculus did not have a change of heart somewhere in their journey. He nodded to Envy's question and waited for more.

"Then don't go shouting!" Envy hissed, shoving Edward away. "He already is as sharp as a tack. You don't need to announce yourselves to him and make it worse for yourselves." He sniffed and shook his emerald head, displaying his disappointment. "Humans." He continued walking with a heavier step the closer down the tunnel he went, his footsteps nearly silent. He stopped when a faint white light glowed in the near distance and he narrowed his eyes. After a brief pause of complete staring into the light, he continued walking and emerged on the other side of the light. He walked a little further but was stopped by a very cold and very familiar voice.

"I expected you back a little sooner, Envy," Father said nonchalantly. He turned his head and the sheer stone-cold glare stare in his eyes was enough to send a chill up Envy's spine. "What kept you?"

Envy swallowed and cleared his throat, quickly composing himself and taking on his characteristic nonchalant attitude. "I was sidetracked," he said with a small wave as is said "sidetrack" was nothing more than a mere annoyance. He walked further into the room and sat on one of the many pipes protruding from Father's throne, crossing his legs and leaning back on his lean arms. "Those humans can be a handful if they want to be," he continued. "they're like ants, you find one and a million more are lying in wait."

"And Mustang?" Father inquired, his tone solid and unchanging. "Did you do what I asked?"

"Of course," Envy fibbed, not letting anything betray him. "He might have defeated Lust but I'm no weakling. He was no match for me."

Father tilted his head down ever so slightly and the room dropped five degrees, sending a little more than shivers through Envy. "I see . . ." Without warning, Father extended his hand and a large stone block appeared on Envy's right. The homunculus jumped and jerked his head in that direction in time to see Edward collide with said block and fall to the ground, holding a now bloody nose. Father turned his intense gaze to his child and asked in a voice as biting as ice, "Then why is he here with the other sacrifices?"

Out of concern for his own safety, Envy jumped away from Father's side and landed beside Edward. "Don't you know how to judge defenses?" he roared at the blonde. "You should have waited longer then you would have had him!"

Edward growled and stood to his feet, wiping at his nose with his sleeve, staining it a darker shade of red. "He looked preoccupied to me," he replied. "And besides, I was never one for patience." He clapped his hands and touched his automail arm, extending the top of it into a full blade.

Envy hissed. "That's your problem, you're too reckless."

Father stood from his throne, the many cables leading back to the pipes popping free from sockets in his spine. Envy took a step back as Father drew closer and stood beside Edward, growling lightly. "You did it this time," he snarled.

"I think it is needless to say that I am severely disappointed in you, Envy," Father said. "You're no better than your brother Greed, disobeying your father. I guess it can't be helped. You must die tonight."

Envy blanched and a cold chill crept up his spine. He had experienced death many a time, but it was only a mockery. One way or another he always came back. However, the death Father had promised would be one he would never return from. It was certain death and if Envy learned anything from Greed's demise it would be painful and slow.

"No, you're not!" Edward yelled, stepping between Father and Envy. Envy blinked, confused that Edward would dare defy Father and . . . protect him. "Envy may be one of the lowest of the low, but I'm not letting you kill him that easily."

Father blinked and lifted his head in interest. "Are you even aware of what Envy has done? He started the Ishballan Civil War and countless other battles. He killed Maes Hughes and almost Roy Mustang, not to mention aiding Kimblee and capturing Doctor Marco. Do you really think someone like him deserves to live after all that? In the end all of them will die and if I want to I can just create another Envy, one who won't disobey me."

"Yeah, it's true," Edward agreed, "he doesn't deserve to live any more than any other homunculus does. However, he did keep true to his promise and that in itself proves he's worthy of my trust. And on another note, I've seen too many people die these past few years and I'm not going to let another slip away, regardless of who or what they are. Envy is my friend." Edward spread his feet and crouched low in a fighting stance, eyes narrowed and set on Father. "And I'm not going to let you kill him!"

Envy blinked in complete disbelief. After all that he had done to Chibi-san and his friends, he would still protect him. If the threat of death wasn't real, Envy would have burst out laughing. "Chibi-san . . ."

Father stared at Edward and Envy, his expression stoic. After a long pause, he sighed. "If that is your choice. However, you serve more use to me alive so know that I won't kill you. However, severe in juries will result if you continue to protect this traitor."

Edward growled and charged with a battle cry, his bladed arm raised high. "I won't let you kill him!" His attack was futile as Father, without even moving, erected a stone pillar that caught Edward squarely in the stomach, punching him with brutal force towards the ceiling. It stopped within a few feet of the ceiling and Edward coughed, spit and vomit sprouting from his lips and slipped backwards off the pillar, plummeting several feet towards the ground below.

"Edward!" Roy Mustang charged forward from his hiding place in the shadows. With his eyes he tracked Edward's descent and noticed he was heading for the edge of Father's pipe-ridden throne. He gasped and put on an extra burst of speed, barreling past Envy and jumped, catching Edward just before he hit. Mustang crashed to earth and skidded in the dust, burning his side and setting Edward down. "Fullmetal. Fullmetal, can you hear me?"

Edward coughed and dry heaved, clutching his bruised gut and ribs. "Y-yeah," he squeezed out through clenched teeth. Quivering, he got to his knees and glared at Father, hate rolling off him like a stench. "You must be crazy to think that's gonna stop me."

"Please," Father sniffed, unimpressed. "You have at least four broken ribs and not to mention internal bruising. Not much more is needed to defeat you."

"Then you'll have to answer to me!" Mustang sprang from Edward's side and snapped, sending a flurry of sparks towards Father. Father didn't even flinch as he erupted into a whirlwind of flames, his figure going up in black cinders. Mustang drew back to watch the blaze and snapped again, the fire growing more and more intense with each. "Scar, destroy the ground beneath him!"

Nodding, Scar jumped from the tunnel entrance and landed next to Mustang. He slammed his palm to the ground and activated the transmutation circle tattooed on his arm. Crimson lightning cracked the concrete and it splintered, great blocks shattering. The ground continued to splinter in a straight line towards Father and when it reached him it collapsed, unable to support his weight, it collapsed and Father plummeted in a burning blaze in through a deep chasm, hitting the ground a few seconds later with a loud _thump!_

Mustang ceased his barrage of snaps and Scar stood to his full height, both of them glaring at the edge of the chasm.

"Is that it?" Mustang asked, his body still tense and on edge.

"If Father's anything like he was last time," Edward said, coming to join them, "then this is only the beginning. No matter what don't let your guard down. I have a feeling things are about to get a lot worse."

Envy stared in complete shock and disbelief at the trio in front of him. Had they actually protected him - even though he didn't deserve it? They had gone against Father - the most powerful being in the world - just to save him. For once in all the years he had been alive, Envy actually felt his heart quiver. He smiled gratefully and stood up to stride forward towards the group, but his joy was short-lived. Upon his fifth step, the ground collapsed and Envy lost his balance, barely steadying himself on the edge. A hand grasped his ankle and Envy looked down in stark fear to see Father, eyes glowing red and out for blood.

"A meager performance, I must admit," Father hissed as he emerged from the hole, unharmed. In a swift motion, he grabbed Envy's arms and held them behind his back, so taught that his shoulders strained. Father's remaining hand, reached down to Envy's left thigh and touched the oroborous tattoo with the tips of his fingers. Envy blanched and stiffened, his eyes small pinpoints in two pools of white.

"Envy!" Edward cried. He rushed forward to help the homunculus, but Father cut him off with a glare. "One more step and he dies," Father said stoically. "Not that he won't die anyways, but I have a special torment in store for him."

All eyes turned to the chasm next to Father and Envy as a gurgling gushing sound emanated from it. Envy looked with his eyes only to see that it was filling with water. However, it wasn't the water he was afraid of but the ice crystals forming around the edges of it. He struggled to be free of Father's grasp, but an electric volt on his thight stopped him from making anther move.

"I wouldn't have to do this is you hadn't disobeyed me," Father said in Envy's ear, a shiver going down the homunculus's spine. "But now that you have, I have no choice." He pressed his fingers deeper against Envy's tattoo and a sharp electric jolt traveled up Envy's leg and torso, reaching all the way to his brain. His eyes widened and a sharp cry escaped his lips as his mind overheated and everything went black. He collapsed like a stone to the ground at Father's feet, defenseless and helpless.

Father looked down at Envy in mild disgust and disappointment. Truly, he was no better than Greed. "Worthless son." Reaching out with his foot, Father kicked Envy's side and sent him sprawling. His body fell close to the edge of the chasm and finally tipped over, plummeting head first into the waiting icy pond below.

"ENVY!" Edward scrambled forward in a frenzy, his eyes trained on the chasm. Father saw him approach and grasped neck, holding him still. "You're an important sacrifice. I'm not letting you go that easily."

Edward glared daggers at Father and bit down on his hand, prompting the old man to recoil and release him. "Screw you!" Edward dashed towards the chasm and jumped down, rushing close to the icy pool and holding his hands out in front of him as he splashed into the frigid icy water.

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**AN: Well, this was an exceptionally long chapter. The next one is the last one so you all enjoy it while you can. :D**

**Yours Truly,**

**Inhumunculus **


	5. Drastic Measures

_I'm going to die . . . _

That was the only phrase Envy's frazzled mind could comprehend or even think. It was all he could focus on. He had deliberately gone against Father's orders and now he was paying for it. He sputtered as frigid icy water gushed into his mouth and forced down his through, swelling his lungs. He tried to scramble about, flailing randomly to try and get a hold of a rock, a ledge - something that would save him. He wasn't surprised when he found none. Father was particular when it came to death and leaving a way to escape would be a terrible fail on his part. He felt the icy water press down on his body like a greta weight and it wasn't long before he touched the bottom of the abyss, looking up through filmy eyes at the surface far above.

There was movement in the water above him and the homunculus assumed he was going insane. The shape creating the movement had no shape at all and was completely formless, as if it were jelly being spread over too much bread. The colors of red and gold it possessed ran together in one long strip of alternating patterns and Envy finally gave in to his insanity. His head slumped to the side and his amethyst eyes rolled into the back of his head, the last little bubbles of air escaping from his lips.

_No, Envy!_ Edward panicked as the homunculus gave in to his icy grave and he swam all the harder, ignoring how the frigid waters hindered his own body. He reached out with his hands as he came within arm's reach of the homunculus and grasped his lean, sinewy arm. He tossed Envy's arm around his shoulders and grasped it with his left hand. With his automail right, Edward held Envy's slim waist tightly, pressing their bodies close together.

The blonde boy looked up towards the surface and decided it was too long a way for them to swim. _I'll have to make this quick. I'm running out of air. _Slapping his palms together, Edward touched his hand to the muddy silt at the bottom of the pool, causing a chemical reaction. The silt hardened into a solid mass of rock and the rock swiftly began to move upwards. The pressure of the water beating down on their heads and the rocky platform pushing up was almost enough to knock Edward unconscious, but if they were going to win this battle and if Envy was going to survive, he couldn't afford only a matter of seconds, the platform pushed up through the water in a spray of mist.

Edward took in a large gasp of air and released Envy from his grasp, falling to his knees to cough up mouthful after mouthful of icy water. He trembled as his clothes weighed heavy on his back and water dripped down onto the now stationary rocky platform. Hypothermia was still a risk and in a swift movement, Edward removed his coat and shirt as well as his shoes. He rubbed his arms and blew in his hands in a meager attempt to regain some body heat to some avail. It would certainly be some time before he regained all of the feeling in fingers and toes. However, his own well being was the farthest thing from his mind.

"Envy," Edward called. He turned and crawled toward the homunculus, his heart stopping as soon as he saw his face. Envy's skin was pale, much more than usual, and his eyes were clamped shut. His muscled chest did not rise and fall with the steady pulse of breath and he did not respond to any of Edward's calls. The blonde boy began to wonder if he was too late and as a last line of hope, pressed his ear to Envy's chest and listened.

_Thump . . . Thump . . ._

What was that?

_Thump . . . Thump . . ._

Could it be?

_Thump . . . Thump . . ._

A smile broke out of Edward's face. Yes, there was a heartbeat. Envy was still alive! But the pulse between beats was long, as if his heart no longer had the vitality to pound consecutively. Edward knew he was indeed running out of time and he acted fast. Envy's clothes were sopping wet and the turtle neck of his mid-drift shirt constricted his throat. Taking the turtle neck in his hands, Edward ripped down, tearing the shirt in half. He quickly stripped Envy of every piece of clothing other than his skort and tossed them next to his own shirt and coat. Edward then pressed the heel of his hand to Envy's breastbone, interlocked his fingers and began to press down rapidly.

He pumped Envy's chest in quick succession for fifteen times, removing his hands and listening to his heart. With each session of chest compressions, Envy's heart beat a little stronger and a little faster. Slowly, but surely, he was reviving. However, in this time he had not regained his breath or showed any signs of movement. Edward had only completed the first half of the process and his commitment to his friends, future, and new ally would determined if Envy lived or died.

Steeling himself, the blonde boy shut his eyes tightly and pinched Envy's nose with one hand while he tilted his head up with the other. Edward would have to make this quick if he were to preserve his dignity, sexuality, and lunch. He pressed their lips together and breathed a trong burst of air down Envy's lungs.

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**AN: A little EdxEnvy for all the fans. Sorry I haven't updated in a loooooong time. I'm just so darn lazy. **

**Yours Truly,**

**Inhumunculus **


	6. Redemption

In and out, in and out, Edward repeated this movement, this pulse of CPR as he strived to bring his new comrade back from the brink. It was a funny irony how not long ago Edward would have given anything to see the homunculi dead and now here he was saving his life. It was as if Fate was mocking him. He did not appreciate this sense of humor nor did her enjoy it, and the more effort he put into this meager medical procedure, the more he thought about stopping it altogether. He would gladly let this androgynous monster die and burn for his crimes against the people of Amestris.

Edward cursed as he pulled up from another air kiss and pumped Envy's chest harder, his muscles straining. "Come on! Can't you give it up already?" he raged, certain that by now Envy was simply pretending just to anger him. The notion grew on him as Edward's temper was pushed to its breaking point and he balled his automail hand into a fist. "Darn it, Envy!" With all the strength he could muster, the small alchemist slammed his fist into the homunculus's gut, right at his diaphragm. The force of the blow caused a great contraction within the muscle and it suddenly lurched upward, fiercely pressing on the bottom of the lungs. The energy of that thrust caused a mighty stir within the two air sacs and all of the water had been retained in them suddenly shot up and into the trachea and finally out through his mouth in one big burst. Envy threw his head back at the same time his eyes widened to compensate for the pressure and also the pain that rocked his stomach. Edward looked on in satisfaction, rising to his feet at the same time he wiped his lips free of the homunculus's taste. "Finally, you're awake."

Envy cringed on the frigid platform, holding his wounded middle as he forced more water to spill from his lungs. It fell in vast torrents from between his teeth until there was a decent sized puddle beneath him. And yet even when he was finally able to breathe again, it didn't offer salvation. The air along with the icy taste of the water made it feel like knives were stabbing at his lungs. He shot Edward a furious glare from over his shoulder. "What is your problem?" he seethed. "You could have killed me!"

"You have no idea," Edward said with a sniff as he rinsed out his clothes. He blew in his hands and moved his toes to regain some feeling, despite how painful each flick of a finger was. "Just be thankful I decided to save it."

Envy snorted and sat down, moving into a series of stretches to work out the kinks in his muscles set in by the freezing water. "Yeah, yeah, just don't expect a parade or anything." A sudden smirk crossed him as he remembered a very odd feeling on his lips and his crimson eyes narrowed even as his voice became taunting. "And I should also be thankful for those kisses you gave me," he purred, baring his jagged teeth. "Whatever lady you have in your life, she sure is lucky to have such a good kisser as you~"

Edward's eyes shrunk and a hot blush ripped through his body, banishing whatever cold was within his bones. "That was not a kiss!" he screamed, pointing an accusing finger at his former adversary. "It was CPR, haven't you heard of it? There is no way I would ever kiss you!"

Seeing the blonde alchemist all flustered certainly amused Envy and was very much welcomed after his near-death experience. He decided to push his luck further and began to tease even more. "Oh really?" he said, pulling his legs into a butterfly-shape. "Then I'm sure you sticking your tongue down my throat had nothing to do with it~"

"THAT NEVER HAPPENED!" Edward roared, quickly becoming infuriated. His face broke out into a mad blush and his right eyebrow twitched in annoyance while a large vein began to pulse on his temple. "Stop making things up when they aren't true."

Envy doubled over laughing at his companion's reaction, clutching his sides as they began to ache from the humor. Calming his breathing, he wiped a tar of mirth from his eye and stood to his full height. "And why would I do that when it's so amusing to watch you in a huff?" A serpentine grin cracked his pale face. "So, did I taste good?"

"SUHT UP!" In a flourish, Edward transmuted the top part of his automail arm into a rounded, diamond-shaped blade and aimed it right at Envy's chest, hoping to at least scare him into holding his tongue. "Nothing like that happened, got it? You're just trying to mess with me." He gave a warning by digging the point of the blade into the homunculus's chest, pressing it into the tough bone of his sternum. "I saved your life, now you have to return the favor. I don't care if equivalent exchange really exists, it exists in my mind and that's all I need." He narrowed his eyes and the golden color shimmered like molten gold. "Now, are you going to help me or do I have to kill you and fight this Father guy myself?"

Envy stared down at his adversary with mild intrigue. His joke had seemingly pushed Edward over the edge and into a sea of fury. He knew he was true to his word and it was certain that Father would kill him again if he saw him crawling out of the pit alone. There was no other option. With a resigning sigh, he pushed the blade away from his chest nonchalantly and stared into the human's eyes, conveying his sincerity. "Alright, we work together, but this is the last time. Once Father is defeated, we part ways and don't send any of your Military buddies after me." He raised his right hand and mimicked Edward's blade, catching the blonde's reflection against its glossy surface. "Just leave me alone after this."

Edward nodded and clapped his hands together. "I'll bring us up fast and hard, don't waste a second of that. We'll hit him fast and hard and hopefully neither of us will die." He bent down and touched his palms to the platform, feeling the reaction hum beneath its surface. "But if we do then that's fine too." Like a rocket powered by fire, the platform shot forward at breakneck speed. Envy had planted his feet firmly against it and kept his eyes on the approaching mouth of the pit. _This is where it ends, Father. _The platform suddenly stopped as soon as it touched the edges of the pit and Edward and Envy bounced up high into the air. From their vantage point, Edward could clearly see Scar, Mustang, and Hawkeye were strewn about the chamber like discarded toys. Blood was pooled beneath their bodies and pain took control of their bodies as they struggled to get up. On Father there wasn't even a scratch or bruise. He stood in front of his throne, arms crossed over his chest, untouched.

Edward growled deep in his throat and clenched his hands into tight fists. He might not have gotten along with the odd trio, but he still had many experiences with him, good or bad. They were what he could have considered to be his friends and like a friend, he wouldn't turn his back on them in their hour of need. "You bastard!" Edward howled as he came down from his rise. Flipping his body so that he fell headfirst, his eyes never left his target as he came down like a speeding red and gold torpedo. In a blaze of dust and debris he came down on Father's head, successfully landing a blow on the Hoenheim imposter's skull. He felt the bones give way under the pressure and jumped away upon feeling the squish of brain against his automail. The alchemist landed on all fours and glared hard at the body of Father, waiting for something to happen. He didn't have to wait long. Out of the settling dust came hundreds upon hundreds of jagged stone spikes created from the crumbling rock and debris scattered around the chamber. Edward gasped, disbelieving, and held up his blade in preparation to defend.

"Chibi-san!" Just before the spikes could land a solid blow upon the young man, a large green mass shielded him from their bite. Envy howled as the spikes dug into his hide, but bore with the pain as he turned his eyes upon Edward. "Keep hammering him," he instructed beneath the slew of screams. "That's the only way you'll be able to beat him!" Another more furious chorus of cries erupted from his enlarged, feline-like maw and dark blood sprayed from his lips. "NOW!"

With a nod, Edward swiftly ran around the green monster, keeping off to the side and in the shadows. A sneak attack would be the prime tactic to use and he planned on utilizing it to the fullest. Using his powerful legs to propel him forward, Edward snuck up behind Father and charged with lightning speed for his back. His anger over what the homunculus had done to his home powered his next blow and a rallying cry acted as the enforcer. However, he wasn't fast enough as a stone fist shot up from the ground and slammed into his ribs, sending him flying. The human skidded and skipped along the scratched ground like a rock on water until he finally crashed into the wall where he lay, motionless.

Envy watched this happen and he stood frozen as his gaze rested upon his fallen comrade. At another point in time, he would have enjoyed seeing Edward fall at the hands of Father, homunculi were superior to humans after all. Yet after getting to know the small man, even in their brief meetings, he had come to realize that Edward was everything Envy wished he could be. The blonde was courageous, loyal, and just in his actions. Every enemy he fought was on someone else's behalf – even their quest for the philosopher's stone was all to get his brother's body back. Envy was the exact opposite, as he needlessly shed blood all to see the people involved squirm around like ants. All of his efforts had been on Father's behalf or his own, and even then very rarely was his own will carried out. He was envious of Edward and he despised how true that was. And yet it was he that wanted to be more like the Fullmetal Alchemist than anyone else. He grimaced as he reverted to his human-like form and pulled the spikes from his side, not bothering to watch his body heal itself. _Perhaps instead of complaining about it, I should do something to make it better. _

Father flicked his eyes from Edward to Envy, a disappointed frown on his otherwise placid face. His cold eyes settled on the androgynous homunculus and he shook his head. "Why would you do this to your own Father?" he questioned. "You were not made to cavort with weaklings like humans."

Envy licked his lips and swallowed, tasting the remnants of copper. "It's my choice," he stated. "I envy humans, I want to be like them. And what better way to do that then to pal around with them?" Extending his pale, muscular arm, a large grotesque claw grew out of it and he turned his wrathful gaze upon Father. "I'm not only going to kill you for the humans, but for myself as well. You were a good accessory, but I'm tired of you." Without further hesitation, he pounced at breakneck speed, rushing faster than a speeding bullet. His target never flinched from his spot and that made a shiver go up Envy's spine. A flurry of spikes erupted from the ground and Envy gasped, but he brought his arm up in time to block any from landing a solid blow. With parried strike, a little piece of his arm would chip away, but not once did he betray his pain. He had come to know far worse agony over the years. The spikes were successful in pushing him further and further away from Father and he soon had enough. Thinking fast, he changed his form once more into a leopard and dodged the onslaught of spikes. Making a tight curve around the chamber, he switched directions and dashed straight for him, coming up in the last moment in his anthropomorphic form with blade-like arm outstretched. "Die!"

It would be the last word he ever said to his father. In the split seconds before Envy could land a final strike, Father reached out a large, muscular hand and grasped his skull. A tremendous chemical reaction too place within the homunculus's body and a powerful shockwave jarred his entire nervous system. He cried out in shock and agony and went silent as Father slammed him into the ground at his feet. A small crater was embedded where he lay, dazed and helpless. Father did nothing else but stare.

"Pitiful creature, deplorable son," he said with a shake of his head. "To think I thought you would be the strongest of all your siblings, but you are no better than the first Greed." Extending his hand, he grasped Envy's neck and hoisted him out of the meager pit, raising him at eye level. The homunculus was limp like a dead fish, though a groan would escape him every time Father squeezed harder on his collar. "You have betrayed me and dared to attack me. You brought your death upon yourself." In a swift movement, Father's free hand crushed through Envy's chest, shattering muscle and bone alike to grasp the red stone at his core. Envy threw his head back in a chorus of screams and the noise drowned out Edward's approaching feet as she slapped his hands together and touched them to Father's back. A flurry of crimson-laced lightning erupted from Father's shoulders, bathing the chamber in a bloody light. Father ripped his hand from Envy's chest, tossing his body away, to whirl on Edward. But he was already too late. His body began to deteriorate from the reaction and his skin began evaporating before his eyes.

Edward watched as this began to take place, but stopped when he noticed something very wrong about the decaying homunculus. Beneath the shriveling folds of his clothes, a small skeletal shape began to take form. He watched this shape with keen eyes even as his body crumbled to dust and was swept up in a loose draft. Edward cautiously approached the crumple of robes and knelt down, tossing them away to reveal the withered corpse of a dog, its face frozen in forever in shock. The blonde cursed as he stared down at it. "What the hell? What is this?"

"A decoy it seems," Mustang said as he staggered up behind him. He gripped his upper arm and one of his eyes was closed in pain. Blood stained his clothes, but in all aspects he was still alive and kicking. He stared at the dog with a tight frown. "A substitution transmutation. The real Father must have used this one to buy him time to escape." He narrowed his eyes. "Or maybe he wasn't here at all."

"So this was just a goof?' Edward howled, becoming enraged. He growled and slammed his automail fist into the ground, straining the mechanisms within its hardware. "What the hell! We came all this way just to find out he was a fake!" Another string of curses slipped from his mouth until the glint of something red caught his tongue. Standing, he walked forward and removed a piece robe to find a gleaming philosopher's stone lying on the ground. He reached out and grasped it in his hand, staring down at it with distaste. This one little red stone had caused so much grief and heartache to many people that Edward would be justified if he decided to destroy it. He didn't get the opportunity to decide as his grip tightened ever so slightly and the stone cracked, crumbling to dust in his palm as it fell away.

A small groan echoed throughout the chamber and Edward looked up to see a pitiful creature curled up on his side not to far away. A large gaping wound protruded from his back that reached all the way to his chest. Edward could even see the outline of his hand as the creature tried to staunch the incredible cascade of blood.

"Envy!" he cried, rushing over to his comrade's side. He dropped to his knees at his side and peered down at his pain-contorted face. He growled and narrowed his eyes, wondering what to do. "How can I help?"

Envy nearly stifled a sarcastic giggle, despite how painful it was on his chest. "Help?" he wheezed, out of breath. "There is . . . no way you can . . . help . . ." His breathing was quickly becoming labored, a certain sign that his time was running out.

Edward stared down at him. "Leave you to die?" he questioned, voice a tad strained. On any given day he would have let the homunculus fade away, but now that he had had a chance to fight along side him, it was a little harder to let go. "There's nothing I can do?"

"No . . ." he heaved, curling in on himself. It had become freezing cold and body heat was becoming scarce. "I'm through . . . You must . . . find Father . . . and stop him . . ." He panted hard, trying to catch his fading breath.

"Save your energy," Edward instructed, though it was futile.

"Forgive me . . ." Envy said. "Forgive . . . me for . . . everything . . . I've done . . ."

"You're apologizing?" the blonde asked, disbelieving. Of all people in the world, he would never have pinned Envy to be the one asking for forgiveness and mercy.

He nodded. "I may as well . . . do something . . . good . . . for once . . ." He hissed and clutched his sides, feeling something slip within his body. He cracked open his eyes and sighed as the tips of his toes began to lose their shape and dissolve to dust. "I'm through . . . Chibi-san . . ." With jerky movements, he tilted his head back to stare up into Edward's face as the rest of him followed his toes' example. "I'm going to see what Hell is like . . ." In a very short period of time his lower body had become nothing but gray ash and his upper portion wasn't far behind. His muscular arms and chest faded to nothing until he was no more than a disappearing head. At long last, Envy closed his eyes and succumbed to Death, vanishing into the air. "Good luck, Edward Eric."

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**Whoot! You've finally made it to the end of the fic! Sorry for the late update, but now its finally over. Now to work on the other 8 fics that need completing, yay! **


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